History of the National Parks

The national parks and National Park Service (NPS) serve a very important role in our country. These parks make up some of the most beautiful, unique, oldest, tallest, deepest, most pristine and most threatened places in the world. But they are more than just amazing places to visit. They serve a vital role in our leisure, economy, ecosystem management, climate change and more.  This e-book will explore how the national parks got started, how the NPS has grown and expanded, the influence of the national parks on our society and environment and the ongoing challenges to their management. 

The history of the national parks includes economics, politics, science, management, budgets, laws, environmentalism and champions of a system that when created was unique in all the world. It is our hope that you will share in this fascination and pride surrounding these amazing places and become avid supporters of this very important service.